The village of Braddeck in the Nova Scotia province of Cape Breton Island has hosted a variety of churches since the first place of worship was established on Bay Road in 1841.  Over the years, some churches have been abandoned due to dwindling  congregations, while one conversion, which latterly held the Braddeck Public Library, burned to the ground.  In this photo, the Anglican church of St. Peter & St. John, established 1883, appears to be leaning somewhat towards the camera.  Is this an optical illusion, or did the builders fail to use their spirit levels?  

If you liked this, be sure to check out these creatively converted churches and the incredible semi-submerged church of Curon Venosta.

Brightling Church: “Mad Jack” Fuller’s Pyramid Tomb

6 Creatively Converted Chapels and Churches

The Semi Submerged Church at Curon Venosta

Cities of the Dead: 7 Sinister Ossuaries

The United Kingdom is home to a number of abandoned villages that urban explorers definitely do not want to infiltrate.  Many of them dating back to the Domesday Book of 1086, the villages were taken over by the British Army during World War Two and have never been returned to their residents.  Now used to train soldiers in close quarters combat for Iraq and Afghanistan, each village boasts a centuries-old church that remains intact despite exploding shells and bullets.

Imber, Wiltshire

(Images: Scott Wylie (top, bottom, right), cc-sa-3.0)

The uninhabited village of Imber stands on Britain’s Salisbury Plain – near Stonehenge, but far less touristy.  Villagers were evicted in 1943 so American troops could train for the invasion of Europe.  Much to the dismay of former residents, Imber remains accessible only to tanks and soldiers after more than 60 years.  Since World War Two, this once quiet Wiltshire village has helped train troops for Northern Ireland, Afghanistan and Iraq.

(Images: Scott Wylie, cc-sa-3.0; Rog Frost, cc-sa-3.0)

Numerous attemps have been made over the years calling for the restoration of Imber.  But despite public pressure, the village remains accessible only a few days each year.  One of Imber’s most striking buildings is the centuries-old church of St Giles and adjacent graveyard.  Dilapidated for years, the church was finally restored in 2008 and is open to worshippers, including former residents, once a year on St Giles’ day.

Tyneham, Dorset

(Image: WyrdLight (top, right) cc-sa-3.0; Steinsky (left), cc-sa-3.0)

Evidence of Roman occupation and ancient Iron Age fishing communities attest to the antiquity of Tyneham, a ghost village in Dorset, England.  But today Tyneham nestles in the untranquil setting of the Lulworth Military Range.  Mentioned in the Domesday Book and situated near the Jurassic Coast, Tyneham is accessible when the firing range is inactive, but intrepid hikers are advised to keep to footpaths due to unexploded ordnance.

Abandoned Villages of Langford, Stanford, Sturston and Tottington (within Stanford Battle Area, Norfolk)

In the English county of Norfolk, the ghost villages of Langford, Stanford, Sturston and Tottington sit within the 30,000 acre Stanford Training Area.  Established in 1942, the area required a “Nazi village” and today houses a mock Afghan settlement for modern warfare training.  The ghost villages are off-limits except certain days each year when former residents are afforded a retrospective look around.

Langford

(Images: John Salmon, cc-sa-3.0; Evelyn Simak, cc-sa-3.0; Simon Knott, cc-sa-3.0)

Entered into the Domesday Book as Langaforde, the landowner was Hugh de Montfort and the village had two mills, two beehives and a fishery.  Occupied mainly by tenant farmers in more modern times, the focal point of Langford is the small parish church of St Andrew.  Dating to Norman times, the church appears to be in good condition despite nearby shelling.

Stanford

(Images: Keith Evans, cc-sa-3.0; Nicholas Mutton, cc-sa-3.0; Simon Knott, cc-sa-3.0)

Another ghost village seized during World War Two and retained by the army thanks to the Cold War, Stanford, curiously, had a population of eight people in four households according to the 2001 census.  Like Langford, Stanford is characterised by a reasonably well maintained Norman church which sports are rather unusual cylindrical tower.

Sturston

(Image: Nicholas Mutton, cc-sa-3.0)

The ghost village of Sturston tells the same stories as its other abandoned counterparts.  But unlike Stanford, the 2001 census recorded zero occupants – which is a relief in this highly dangerous area of the military firing range.  Its location is 10 km north of Thetford and 40 km south-west of Norwich.

Tottington

(Images: John Salmon (top, left, right), cc-sa-3.0)

Tottington was also mentioned in the Domesday Book under the control of one Ralph FitzHelwin.  Despite the lack of public access, the parish church of St Andrew is fenced-off to troops.  The roof is clad in blast proof sheeting, while the original pantiles are stored inside ready for the church’s return to the public.

(Image: John Salmon, cc-sa-3.0)

But the wait could be a long one and the British Army’s bullets look set to keep flying.  While it may no longer be the most peaceful place, a World War Two veteran born in Tottington was recently buried in the churchyard.  Special permission had to be sought for what was the first burial in over 50 years.

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We’ve seen in a previous Urban Ghosts report that shifting demographics, population decline and increased secularisation have had devastating consequences for large parish churches as well as small rural chapels.  But while ruin and dereliction are so often the unintended consequences of abandonment, a little inspiration and imagination has seen some former churches repurposed for modern use.  We explore a selection of them here, from contemporary homes to bars, bookshops, studios and even a simple garage.

(Image: Mark Robinson, cc-2.0)

Old chapels were often simple and austere places that eschewed creature comforts and focussed purely on the worship of God.  But this Gothic chapel in Kingston, Devon, has been transformed into an ultra-comfortable fishing lodge.  According to Mark Robinson, writing on Flickr, the chapel/lodge is available for “£200 per person per day, including bass fishing and the best food you’ll ever eat!”  As of 2009 it was on the market and may now have become the perfect second home.

(Images: 1 & 2 Matt Buck, cc-sa-2.0; El Struthio, cc-nc-2.0)

The Pitcher and Piano bar in Nottingham is arguably one of the most impressive church conversions in Britain.  Established in 1687 and rebuilt considerably by 1876, Nottingham’s “cathedral of drinking” served as a Unitarian chapel until 1982 when it was converted to the Nottingham Lace Museum.  After that venture proved financially unviable, the chapel – which looks more like a traditional parish church – became the popular Pitcher and Piano.  It may be one of Nottingham’s most inspired pubs, but Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem, where Richard the Lionheart is said to have called in for a pint en route to the Holy Land, is certainly the most famous.

(Images: Richard Croft, cc-sa-2.0; Kate Nicol, cc-sa-2.0)

This Primitive Methodist chapel in the Lincolnshire village of Normanby-le-Wold was abandoned before being converted into a simple yet imaginative garage.  Wayside chapels like this once served rural folk and travellers, but many have fallen into disuse in our increasingly secular times.  While abandonment may bestow a haunting quality, it’s nice to see this small slice of rural history creatively converted for modern use.  The chapel stands alongside the 147 mile long Viking Way footpath, which also passes the abandoned control tower at RAF Coleby Grange.

(Images: Bert K, cc-2.0; J Luoh, cc-3.0; Crossroads Magazine, cc-nc-nd.3.0)

The Selexyz Dominicanen in Maastricht proves that a little imagination really does go a long way.  The fortunes of this glorious 800-year-old Dominican church have been decidedly mixed since closing its doors to the congregation. Sitting abandoned and overgrown for years before a spell as a bicycle storage facility, the church was overhauled by Dutch architects Merkx+Girod to become what the Guardian newspaper called: “A bookshop made in heaven”.

(Images: Travelet, reproduced with permission)

Have you ever considered converting a church for your own personal living space but need inspiration?  Look no further than the magnificent St. Nicholas Church House in Kyloe, Northumberland.  This Grade II listed Georgian church dates from 1792 and features a west tower with battlements and ornate stained glass window.  With spectacular views over the Northumberland coast and Holy Island, the historic building is a perfect combination of modern open-plan living and old English heritage.  And while it certainly won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, St. Nicholas Church House even comes complete with its own graveyard.

(Image: Jim Howard, cc-nc-3.0)

The interior of this former chapel in Southampton’s Old Cemetery may look a little busy, but “creative conversions” don’t come much more creative than those used in the design industry.  According to the website, Design Chapel offers “desk space to individuals and small companies, giving the opportunity to work in a wonderful creative environment with likeminded and inspiring fellow artists and designers.”  The once derelict chapel, which dates to the 1840s, retains its original character and features alongside modern fixtures and fittings.  Perhaps the grand yet deteriorating chapels in Sheffield’s historic General Cemetery could be put to similar use?

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The Fisherman’s Chapel and Maritime Myth
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For the latest installment in our creatively converted chapels and churches series, they don’t come much more inspired than the Pitcher and Piano bar in Nottingham.  Spiritual home of Robin Hood and the dreaded Sheriff, this old church has been turned into an imaginative but unpretentious drinking establishment set to satisfy the weekend crowd as well as the local historians.

(Image: El Struthio, cc-nc-2.0)

Externally, the Pitcher and Piano looks like a pleasant old church.  The inside tells a very different story, but does so around original stonework that plays a major role in the modern refurbishment.  If you visit Nottingham looking for a blend of modern relaxation and historic surroundings, this is the place for you!

Related Articles:
Disused Chapel Becomes Rural Fishing Lodge
Low Cost Conversion: Primitive Methodist Chapel Becomes (Primitive) Conversion

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Image by Gernot Keller

(Image licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.5 Generic)

In America “DMV” stands for the Department of Motor Vehicles, while in Britain it refers to something far more interesting – deserted medieval villages.  Join us as we explore the enigmatic ruins of Wharram Percy, widely credited as the most famous deserted medieval village in England.

Images by Ralph Rye

(Images 1 and 2 licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic)

While several other DMVs are also in good condition, Wharram Percy, on the western edge of the chalk Wolds of North Yorkshire, has received significant celebrity. From 1950 to 1990, teams of archaeologists, historians and botanists pored over the settlement, following its identification in 1948 by Professor Maurice Beresford of the University of Leeds.  The ruined church and adjoining graveyard are the epicenter of the abandoned village.

Depictions of the Black Death

(Images 1 and 2 released into public domain)

Experts date initial settlement of the site to pre-historic times, but the village we see today was at its zenith from the 10th to the 12th centuries.  Wharram Percy, along with many of its neighbours, survived the Black Death of 1348-49, which wiped out half the European population.  But the villagers’ fortunes ran out when the local baron realised sheep’s wool would generate more revenue than traditional crop farming.

Image via Pietro de Crescenzi, Pier de Crescenzi

(Image released into public domain)

Changing prices and wages during the 15th century had given pasture farming an advantage over traditional arable, compounding the already tough lives of Wharram Percy’s inhabitants.  The village finally fell into abandonment in the early 16th century when the dreaded lord of the manor evicted the last families and demolished their homes to accomodate extra sheep pasturage.

Images via Google Earth

Wharram Percy is now in the care of English Heritage. Although only the ruined church is easily visible above ground, much more of the village layout can be seen in the surrounding fields.

Images by dougbelshaw

(Images licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic)

Medieval meets modern thanks to newly installed panels around the deserted medieval village, complimented by an audio tour that can be downloaded from the English Heritage website.  The Yorkshire Wolds Way long-distance footpath skirts the east of the village, making this a great destination for passing walkers.

Death of Henry Percy

(Image released into public domain)

Wharram Percy is located about one mile south of Wharram-le-Street – a name that highlights the lingering Norman legacy in England.  The village has also been linked to the Percy family, the Dukes of Northumberland, represented in Shakespeare’s Henry IV, Part 1 by the heroic but tragically impulsive Harry Hotspur (Henry Percy).

For more info about Wharram Percy, here’s a fascinating article written by local journalist Paul Johnson, touching on alleged paranormal activity, UFO sightings, and what may be evidence of sophisticated Anglo-Saxon brain surgery.

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Image by Bert K

The web is awash with articles claiming to be the “most impressive” or the “top ten (something) of all time”, and any claim of this nature is clearly subjective, especially with the amount of information available nowadays.  But it’s just possible that these three bookshops could be among the most visually stunning in thw world.  What do you think?

Selexyz Dominicanen, Maastricht

Images by J Luoh

Often all it takes is a little imagination to create something truly incredible.  And anyone who sees an abandoned church as nothing but a deconsecrated pile of bricks and mortar (or stone, in this case) should look no further than the Selexyz Dominicanen in Maastricht.  This 800-year-old Dominican church has had a chequered history since closing its doors to the congregation – derelict and overgrown at one point and used for bicycle storage more recently.

Images by kevingessner

Now, thanks to a radical overhaul by Dutch architects Merkx + Girod, it could well be the most stunning bookshop in the world.  The architects have been mindful that the main feature of the bookshop is the church itself.  As a result, the minimalist interior adds a splash of twenty first century colour to this very medieval canvas, doing justice to both in the process.  As the Guardian newspaper says: “A bookshop made in heaven”.

El Ateneo in Buenos Aires

Image by Roger Bits

Once upon a time, cities were full of theatres, although many were converted into pictures houses and ultimately found themselves on the wrong end of a wrecking ball when television became a household standard.  Not so the El Ateneo, a downtown Buenos Aires bookshop converted from an old theatre.

Images by Guillermo Tomoyose

This imaginative reuse sees every corner of the theatre auditorium utilized, from the stalls to the circle to the balcony.  The theatre boxes are now private reading rooms, while the stage serves as a cafe area complete with the original crimson curtains.  The El Ateneo is a fine example of how an important piece of history can be preserved and repackaged for a contemporary audience.

Livraria Lello, Porto

Images: Rastrojo (left); Carlos Luis M C da Cruz

(Image (left) published under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported; (right) public domain)

The Livraria Lello in Porto is smaller than the other two examples in this article but no less impressive.  And unlike El Ateneo and Selexyz Dominicanen, it is a purpose built bookshop, a stunning contrast of dark wood and exuberant paintwork – take the stairs, for example.

Images by Berto Garcia

Livraria Lello has sold books since it was originally established in 1881.  Boasting stained glass windows, wood panels and columns worthy of the finest craftmen, Livraria Lello, like its companions above, is ideal for book enthusiasts and architecture fanatics alike.

Images by ricardo-periera

And it will come as no surprise to some that the impressive steps shown above have been described as a “stairway to heaven”.  (This article was inspired by “The World’s Top Ten Bookshops”, courtesy of the Guardian newspaper.)

Explore more interesting buildings in Silent Cinema: 8 Abandoned Theatres and Movie Palaces

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Image by Snowdog

Some time ago Weburbanist did a fantastic article entitled 7 Submerged Wonders of the World, highlighting an astounding selection of underwater cities, monuments and statues.  Here’s one with a twist!  This semi-submerged bell tower is all that can be seen of the church at Curon Venosta, a small Northern Italian town flooded to make way for an artificial lake.

(Images via Luca Lorenzi (left) and Frederik Schulz, licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0)

In winter, when the lake freezes, the old church tower can be reached on foot.  Something of a local landmark, it has received restoration work to protect it against water freezing in cracks within the masonry.

Image by Cane Rosso

Legend has it that on a cold winter’s day the bells can be heard ringing out across the lake.  It’s hardly surprising that such a strange setting has carved its place in local folklore, but any logical explanation for the eerie chimes is defied by the fact that the bells at Curon Venosta church were removed years ago, before the lake was flooded.

Images by vetrone

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The Deserted Medieval Village of Wharram Percy
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The Awesome Wonder of Infrared Photography

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Notre Dame Convent (image by TenThirtyNine)

(Image License here)

Derelict churches and places of worship are becoming increasingly abundant across the world.  The reasons for their abandonment are varied, from increased secularization and local population decline to changing demographics and even war.  But there is no question that urban decay bestows a mysterious atmosphere upon these once welcoming structures, and urban explorers become the unlikely members of their reinvented congregations.

The Church of San Leonardo, Montevarchi, Italy

Image by Emiliano Burzagli

Image by Emiliano Burzagli

The crumbling edifice above, which appears as little more than a cow shed today, was once the Church of San Leonardo.  It is reportedly one of the oldest catholic parish churches in Montevarchi, a town and commune in the province of Arezzo, Tuscany.  It was likely founded as long ago as the 10th century, but was suppressed in the 18th century leading to its use as a farm building.  Today it lies abandoned, barely a relic of its former incarnation.

St Mary’s Church, Clophill, UK

Image by JasonRogersFotographie

(Image license here)

Image by JasonRogersFotographie

(Image license here)

St Mary’s in the village of Clophill was built in the 16th century on the site of a much older church.  But by Victorian times it was deemed too small and a new church was consecrated in 1848.  It lingered on as a chapel for the adjacent graveyard but by 1956 most of the lead had been stolen from the roof and a decision was taken to salvage what remained for the new church.  At that time the roof was reluctantly removed and the building was reduced to a shell.  Left to the ravages of time, the elements and the local vandles, the building fell into ruin.  More eerily though, it is rumoured to have been the location of supposed Satanic rituals and black magic during the 1960s, when graves were desecrated and bones ritually exhumed and rearranged.

St Peter’s Church, Low Toynton, UK

Image by Dave Hitchborne

The United Kingdom is one of those countries with plenty of history to go round and nowhere near enough money to protect it.  Hence scenes like this (above).  And while some rural churches have come in for innovative reuse, others are beyond the scope of economical conversion without significant capital.  St Peter’s Church in Low Toynton, Lincolnshire, has been overgrown and abandoned since 1973.  The church was rebuilt in 1811 around the late Norman arch of the original structure, seating about 60 people.  St Peter’s has reportedly been in private ownership since 1977, so perhaps one day we’ll find this old tabernacle lovingly restored.

Amboy, California

Image by Eric Polk

(Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike 2.5)

Amboy is a near-empty ghost town in California’s Mojave Desert, and the old church stands (rather lopsidedly) to prove it.  With the lonely desert plain stretching to the mountains, the isolated church and the train trundling along the Atlantic and Pacific Railroad, this town could symbolise many Wild West settlements that have fallen on hard times.  But actually, the history of Amboy is rather colourful, from a cafe owner who would chase off long-haired diners at gunpoint, to a popular Hollywood film location.  For more information, check out Route 66 Roy’s.

Abandoned Church at Taiban, New Mexico

Image by Emma Cox

(Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike 2.0)

The old church in Taiban, an unincorporated community in New Mexico, has certainly seen better days, but probably nothing a nice coat of while paint wouldn’t sort out.  That said, the fact that it was abandoned in the first place is surprising considering the heavy religious influence in rural United States.  Could it be that a new church has flourished, or that faith has dwindled in this tough desert environment?

City Methodist Church, Gary, Indiana

Image by KM Photography..

(Image licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 2.0)

Image by KM Photography..

(Image licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 2.0)

City Methodist Church in Gary, Indiana, may be derelict but is still considered a historic structure in the 1906 town.  Its architects clearly had grand plans for the church and built it to rival many of the historic churches of the late 19th to early 20th century.  But like the city itself, the church has fallen into almost total ruin, with the urban decay that surrounds it captured evocatively in the images above.  Check out this previous article for more information about the abandoned buildings of Gary.

Pierson, Florida

Image by Mr. Justin

(Image licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 2.0)

As of 2004, Pierson, Florida was a town of 2,606 people according to the U.S. Census Bureau – an increase of 10 people since the 2000 census!  Going by these figures, the likely increase over the last five years has probably only been enough to warrant an extra row of pews in the church above, but unfortunately it appears to have been abandoned for some time.  Whether in fact it is even a church, rather than some other form of meeting place, remains in question.  But it barely seems to matter anymore, unless some benevolent soul should feel the urge to renovate it soon.

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Image by Jeremy Blakeslee

(See image licensing here)

We’ve all heard of the Lost City of Atlantis, but what about the Lost City of Detroit?  It is staggering to think that the once proud Motor City could disintegrate into such total decay.  But it is even more mind boggling to imagine how this dilapidated town could be such a treasure trove of glorious architecture from the Gilded Age of America.

Detroit’s skyline is a blend of architectural styles including Art Deco, post modern and neogothic.  The downtown skyscrapers give way to a sprawling cityscape that over the years has launched Motown and served as the world’s traditional automotive centre.  But despite ongoing restoration efforts the city has continued to decline amid rising unemployment and burgeoning crime.

It is perhaps not surprising that this once wealthy city is now a repository of some of America’s most grand but decayed buildings.  Sad as this may be, it does present an opportunity for urban explorers to capture hauntingly beautiful images that transport us through a door in time.

Michigan Central Station

Image by motionblur

Image by Яick Harris

Image by tronics

Image by Urbanarcheology

(Image licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported)

This awe-inspiring building was constructed in 1913 for the Michigan Central Railroad, and at once captures the golden days of rail travel.  It was the tallest railway station in the world when it was built, finally closing in January 1988 following the cessation of Amtrak.  It was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1975 but despite its redevelopment being considered a key component of Detroit’s overall economic regeneration, any attempts to do so have never made it beyond the negotiation phase.

Astoundingly, the Detroit City Council passed a resolution earlier this year for expodited demolition.  In response, Detroit resident Stanley Christmas sued the city to stop the demolition, citing the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966.  The station’s future is currently unclear.  More great images of the entire station here.

Woodward Avenue Presbyterian Church

Image by Andrew Jameson

(Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike 3.0)

Image by Яick Harris

Image by Яick Harris

Another building with an uncertain future, this old Gothic Revival church was built in 1911 by architect Sidney Bagley.  Used for a time as the Abyssinia Church of God in Christ, the building has fallen into disrepair despite being placed on the historic buildings register in 1982.  But unlike many derelict structures, the interior has been left untouched and consequently enabled the photographer to capture these atmospheric images.  The haunting site of the empty pews and stained glass windows is a reminder that this was once a place of worship.

The Michigan Theatre

Image by grabadonut

Image by Gsgeorge

(Image licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0)

The before and after pictures say it all.  This is the former Michigan Theatre, built in 1926, facing what was once the stage.  Today, the gutted theatre has, for some historians, become a symbol of the decline of Detroit, with cars now filling the once-bustling auditorium.  Ironically, the theatre was built on the site of a small garage where Henry Ford built his first car – it’s funny how things have a habit of coming around again!

Of all the images, these are in many ways the most poignant, capturing urban decay at its most effervescent.  They may not be the most dramatic, but what is left of the ornate ceiling serves as a stark reminder that while the past may be tantalisingly close, some buildings are beyond redemption.  As you can see here, this shell of a building now serves as a makeshift car park (see Time Magazine’s photo-essay about abandoned Detroit).  The trend in Britain has often been to demolish their old theatres and cinemas to build soulless car parks, while Detroit just knocks holes in their walls for the cars to drive in!

More Images of Abandoned Detroit

Image by tronics

Image by tronics

Image by tronics

All three images in this section licensed under:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/tronics/ / CC BY 2.0

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Image by Jon Sullivan

Have you ever wondered why countless old buildings – especially churches and holy places – have grotesque statues, known as gargoyles, emerging from their roof tops?  How would you like these abominable creatures leering at you each time you walk past your own home?  And why do religious places like Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris favour demonic beings rather than angelic ones for decorative purposes?

Image by Arriqui

On a purely practical level, these weird and wonderful carvings are water spouts which expel rainwater from roofs.  There is also a related carving known as a Chimera, which is essentially a gargoyle without the functionality.  Most often, these statues truly are grotesque and for those who enjoy that sort of ornamentation, serve as purely decorative objects.  But over time both variants seem to have become synonymous with the term gargoyle.

Image by Brunswyk

In reality, not all gargoyles are grotesque (as in the image directly above).  In Egypt, they were used to wash sacred vessels, seemingly done on the flat roofs of temples.  In Greek temples, gargoyles often depicted lions (above).  Other gargoyle carvings have depicted monks, various people and animals, and even humourous figures!

In Legend

A French legend tells of St Romanus (or Romain) (AD 631-641), the former chancellor of Merovingian King Clotaire II (the da Vinci Code by Dan Brown and The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail come to mind at the mention of the word “Merovingian”!) who became Bishop of Rouen.  According to legend, St Romanus successfully rescued the area around Rouen from a monster called Gargouille, after the beast was captured by the one person that volunteered for the job (or had nothing to lose!) – a condemned man.  From that point on, it was determined that the grotesque form of some gargoyles was a great way of scaring off evil spirits – hence the ironic use of demonic and abominable carvings on churches.

Image by Roland Geider

Modern Day

After the end of the 18th Century, gargoyles began to disappear as functional fixtures and were replaced by drainpipes (or downpipes).  England went as far as to pass a law saying that when it came to removing water from roof tops, drainpipes were compulsory on all modern buildings, dealing a fatal blow to the gargoyle community, although a healthy number of course survive on historic buildings.

In the United States, however, gargoyles remained popular throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, particularly in New York and Chicago.  The stainless steel examples on the Chrysler Building have become rather famous (didn’t they make an appearance in Ghost Busters?), and Washington National Cathedral, built from 1908 in Washington DC, has an extensive collection of the like, and is adorned with limestone demons.

In Pop Culture

Gargoyles have long cemented their status in stories and tales, often characterised as winged demons which guard the buildings they are carved onto.  And in The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Quasimodo had a comical gaggle of gargoyle friends.  But that said, the image below on Notre Dame Cathedral was clearly not carved with humour in mind!  Does evil really scare away evil?

Image by Ruth L

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Little John's headstone (image by author)

The Peak District in Northern England is an ancient landscape steeped in myth and legend, none more enduring than that of Robin Hood.  Robin’s trusted companion Little John appears alongside him in early accounts dating from 1420 to 1440, and a headstone in Hathersage churchyard is even marked with his name…

Depiction of the famous quarterstaffs duel, after which Robin and Little John, then adversaries, become friends (painting by Louis Rhead)

(Public domain image)

In popular folklore, John Little is described as a “giant of a man”, prompting Robin to reverse his first and last names to create the ironic nickname by which he is known in popular legend.  In most versions of the tale, John’s origins are associated with the Peak District village of Hathersage in Derbyshire, where the grave bearing his name still exists today.

Illustration (left) by Frank Godwin for the novel "Robin Hood" by Henry Gilbert; right image by author

(Left image in public domain)

The grave stone’s inscription reads:

“Here lies buried Little John, the friend & lieutenant of Robin Hood.  He died in a cottage (now destroyed) to the east of the churchyard.  The grave is marked by this old headstone & footstone and is underneath this old yew tree.”

St Michael's Church, Hathersage (images by author)

But is this really the grave of the legendary Merry Man?  As usual, opinion is divided.  The headstone is more modern, although an older one also adornes the grave, its inscription too weathered to read.  With no clear-cut evidence of the existence of an outlaw known as Little John – other than ballads and obscure historical document pertaining to the name – the origins of the grave are uncertain.  But in 1784 Captain James Shuttleworth exhumed the thigh bone of a man who once stood more than 7 feet tall – clarifying that the occupant was a “giant of a man”.

The Origins of Robin Hood

Illustrations by Louis Rhead

(Images left and right in public domain)

Little John’s tale is intrinsically linked with that of his fearless leader, Robin Hood.  But Robin’s origins are also debated.  Two theories pitch Robin as either a peasant or a nobleman who spurned his birthright to defend the poor and oppressed.  Both schools of thought were successfully explored in the Robin of Sherwood television series of the 1980s – arguably the best version to date, with a rich mixture of “swords and sorcery” that took audiences by storm on both sides of the Atlantic.

Robin's mullet was dodgy, but it does not take away from the genius of this series (images via Amazon)

(Robin of Sherwood DVD available here)

The sorcery angle tackled the romantic and superstitious aspects of the legend in the context of its times, and the iconic characterisation depicted “The Hooded Man” as a symbol of the Longbowman of England, fighting against Norman oppression.  As a peasant, he is characterised as “Robin of Locksley”, believed to refer to the village of Loxley eight miles from Hathersage – now a suburb of Sheffield.  This is geographically plausible, since Sherwood Forest once stretched from Sheffield to Nottingham, home of the notorious Sherriff.

Hathersage Church (image by author)

St Michael’s Church at Hathersage dates back to 1381, although an older church occupied the site 200 years hundred earlier.  Other famous resting residents include the Eyre family.  Beneath the alter tomb lies Robert Eyre (died 1459) who fought at the Battle of Agincourt, and built much of the current church.  Charlotte Bronte also stayed at Hathersage while writing Jane Eyre.

Pagan Influence

Robin Hood's Stride (top) by Darius Khan; Robin Hood's Cave (left) by Stephen Horncastle; right and lower (Nine Stones circle) by Alun Salt

(Images 1, 2, 3, 4 licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic)

Robin and John’s tale is intimately linked with the Peak District National Park.  Robin Hood’s Cave on Stanage Edge was supposedly used as a hideout, while Robin Hood’s Stride overlooking the Nine Stones circle alludes to pagan origins.  In this context, Robin Hood is thought to refer to Robin of the Greenwood (or the Green Man, a popular fertility symbol that curiously makes an appearance in various medieval churches, including the enigmatic Rosslyn Chapel).

Green Man carving (church in Lincolnshire) by Simon Garbutt; scene from a MIdsummer Night's Dream by Sir Joseph Noel Paton (right)

(Images (left and right) available into public domain)

Scholars suggest the name derived from Robin Goodfellow (Puck), a well known fairy figure in English folklore popularised by William Shakespeare in A Midsummer Night’s Dream.  Experts assert that most cultures have a Robin Hood figure – Puck lending his name to the English version.  It brings into play the summer festivals of medieval England, with their famous maypoles, which derive from pagan traditions still recognised in rural places today – and dramatised perfectly in Robin of Sherwood.

According to Legend

The gatehouse at Kirklees Priory, from where Robin is said to have fired the last arrow (image by Humphrey Bolton)

(Image licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic)

Little John was said to be the only Merry Man present at Robin’s death, who was deceived and poisoned by the abbess of Kirklees Priory.  Realising his end was nigh, Robin drew his bow for the final time and asked John to bury him where “the last arrow” fell.  An overgrown grave at Kirklees Priory has been linked to the legend.  But many remain sceptical about its occupant – believed to be the long forgotten Robert, Earl of Huntingdon, the nobleman protagonist of the Robin Hood legend.  To this day, the location of Robin Hood’s grave remains as mysterious as the enigmatic folk hero himself, a final twist in a local legend with an insatiable global market.

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